No-Bake Caramel Cookie Dough Bars
These no-bake caramel cookie dough bars are made with brown sugar, condensed milk, mini chocolate chips, and caramel chips for a rich, chewy treat—no oven required.
6 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 stick ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 14 ounces mini chocolate chips divided
- 10 ounces caramel-flavored candy chips
Instructions
Prepare the cookie dough base.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and packed brown sugar. Beat together using a stand mixer or hand mixer until the mixture becomes light and creamy.
Incorporate wet ingredients.
- Add the vanilla extract and salt to the creamed mixture. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and mix until fully incorporated.
Add dry ingredients.
- Gradually add the all-purpose flour to the mixture and blend on high speed until the ingredients are fully combined and a thick dough forms.
Fold in chocolate chips.
- Gently stir in approximately 10 ounces of the mini chocolate chips by hand, mixing just until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Press dough into pan.
- Lightly grease a 9x9-inch square baking pan. Press the prepared cookie dough evenly into the pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
Freeze.
- Place the pan in the freezer for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the dough is firm.
Prepare the icing.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add the caramel-flavored candy chips. Microwave on high for 1 minute, stir, then continue heating in 30-second intervals until fully melted and smooth.
Add chocolate to icing.
- Add the remaining 4 ounces of mini chocolate chips to the melted caramel chips and stir until completely melted. If necessary, return the mixture to the microwave for an additional 30 seconds to ensure a smooth consistency.
Top the bars.
- Allow the icing to cool for several minutes. Then pour it over the chilled cookie dough layer and spread evenly using a spatula.
Chill and serve.
- Refrigerate the bars until the icing has fully set. Once firm, cut into squares and serve. Bars may be stored chilled until ready to serve.
Notes
To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that is labeled as safe for baking. Ensure the mini chocolate chips and caramel-flavored chips are certified gluten-free, as some brands may contain trace gluten. The remaining ingredients are generally gluten-free, but it is always best to verify packaging for cross-contamination risk. Baking and chilling instructions remain unchanged.